MNEA UniServ Director Gilbert Balderrama lived a life of service. Balderrama died April 30, 2016. The Gilbert Balderrama Minority Scholarship has been set up in his memory.

To make a tax deductible contribution to the scholarship fund, please complete the online form to set up a one-time or recurring contribution by credit card or mail a check made to “The MNEA Charitable Fund” with memo line notation of “The Gilbert Balderrama Minority Scholarship” to the following address:

Gilbert Balderrama

Balderrama served 14 years as a special education classroom instructor in Texas and New Mexico until 1993. As a teacher, he served as the local NEA president, bargaining chair and grievance chair. He also served on New Mexico NEA’s Minority Caucus as Vice Chair and Secretary. In l994, he enrolled in the NEA Intern Program for Women and Minorities and Missouri NEA hired him to be the UniServ Director for the Southeast Unit. In 1995, he transferred to the St. Louis area and remained there throughout his employment.

Balderrama continued to support and give back to the NEA intern program by not only teaching courses in the program, but also by mentoring new interns as they progressed from the internship to work. His last intern group was assigned in 2015, and he was like a “mother hen” as his flock spread out into the world to become UniServ Directors in other NEA state associations.

As part of the Missouri NEA, Gilbert was active in his own staff union, the Missouri Professional Staff Organization, and just recently represented his union brothers and sisters on the MNEA Pension Committee. For more than 20 years during his MNEA employment, Balderrama was the staff liaison to the MNEA Human Rights Committee, and he spent many hours with the activities of that group. As a representative from MNEA, Gilbert visited several universities and talked to education students about teaching and the benefits of being part of MNEA. Balderrama received many letters of commendation from the local MNEA associations that he has served.

Gilbert Balderrama had a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas; a Masters in Special Education from Texas University in Denton, Texas; and a degree in Administration from Texas University in Denton, Texas. He also completed special certifications in Special Education—Emotionally Disturbed and Bi-Lingual Education.